My question is what are some of your tips on being sleeved and surviving in the real world?? How do you guys resist the temptations? It's Christmas time too, so there will be Cookies and candies everywhere at work. I work at a hospital, and man do we like to eat. I just don't want to set myself up for failure. I'm planning on bringing my own lunch and keeping Snacks in my locker, but I wanted to know if there were any little tricks anyone has for keeping sane.

I was sleeved 7 weeks ago tomorrow, and I go back to work this weekend and I'm scared to flipping death!! I've lived in my little protective cocoon for the last 7 weeks with all of my good little foods in nice little proportions around me, with the ability to resist alot of the temptation just because I wasn't around the "bad" stuff. And if I was around something that I didn't need, I had my hubby there to tell me not to eat it (he's kinda like your conscience on your shoulder-subtle but still there lol).

I already had one slip up when I went black Friday shopping with my sister. I drank a million calorie hazelnut latte frappe something something coffee drink that was AMAZING but had me feeling so guilty! My sister felt pretty bad (she bought it) but I can't have someone holding my hand the whole time. Maybe it's my own fear of incompetence, but I need HELP!!

I have also found another little help when I want something sweet I have a Special K protein meal bar, I dont' count carbs so this is perfect. Tastes like a candy bar but 170 cal and 10 grams of protein. I usually eat half now and half later in the day. With a real candy bar lots more calories and no protein, so I feel like I have a treat and something good for me too.

Just to echo what a lot of other posters have said ...

How do I resist the temptation? I don't. I don't deprive myself of all those terrible things. As long as I am getting my Protein and liquids in, I partake. But nowhere near on the scale that I used to. I will have one piece of Almond Rocca ... a small sliver of pie ... one piece of peanut brittle ... things like that. The sleeve allows me to do so, because after eating one of these items, I really don't want another. I know it sounds crazy to those pre-op or newly sleeved, but it is true. I am full and sated with that one piece. Cravings are no longer the 1,000 pound gorilla on my shoulder yelling in my ear, "Grab another handful!!" Nope. It is amazing.

Now, can you do this a week after being sleeved? No way. Don't even try. You have to be at the stage where you can try anything. Even then, you may be suprised when that piece of divinity you used to love makes you want to hurl.

Well said!!!! AND don't forget to add that you continue to lose weight! You don't gain after you dive in to those devilish things....now, if that's all you ate, then maybe, I don't know. Like PdxMan says, you still need to get all your protein and liquids in. The way it makes me feel, is that I'm eating as if I were a naturally thin person without trying, I don't feel like I'm dieting or being too picky, and I still continue to lose weight....AND NOT GAIN 100's of pounds....just LIKE a naturally thin person does, I think. Of course, I don't know what a naturally thin person actually feels like or acts....I'm only guessing! This is just how I perceive what's going on with me. AND I absolutely love it! I you sleeve!